


Tajima Yuuichirou, Wingman Extraordinaire

by halfpastmonsoon



Category: Ookiku Furikabutte | Big Windup!
Genre: Awkwardness, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, wingman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-04-07 19:12:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19091335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halfpastmonsoon/pseuds/halfpastmonsoon
Summary: Tajima notices some mushy feelings between Mihashi and Kanou and decides to act.





	Tajima Yuuichirou, Wingman Extraordinaire

Tajima Yuuichirou had a mission, and he was determined to see it succeed.

'Ren, who are you texting with?' he asked with a sly smile, leaning towards Mihashi.

Mihashi, who was lying on his stomach on Tajima's bed, flinched and looked at him sheepishly. He just got done answering a text he had received minutes earlier. He was muttering something the entire time, so hearing him go silent told Tajima that he was done.

'Sh-shuu-chan,' he answered finally, looking away, down at his phone again. His face was flushed from a mix of embarrassment and anticipation.

Tajima grinned. He knew all that from the way Mihashi reacted to the text notification. It was always the same. Deep breath. Sparkling eyes. Lightly blushing cheeks. That was the way Mihashi reacted to texts from Kanou Shuugo, Shuu-chan,' his childhood friend and current rival.

Tajima didn't know Kanou that well, at least not personally. Of course, he had heard many stories from Mihashi, and he did play against Kanou in a friendly match, but he never had a real conversation with him.

He didn't need to, really. All that mattered was, ultimately, how Mihashi felt about him. And, as far as Tajima could tell, Mihashi's opinion of Kanou couldn't be higher. He praised his skill – which, as far as Tajima could tell, was fair – and everytime he got a text from him, his reactions were pretty telling.

Kanou made Mihashi happy, and that was what mattered to Tajima. However, he knew that there was a way to make him even happier, and he that was his current mission.

'I haven't seen him in ages. What has he been up to?' Tajima asked, lying down next to Mihashi.

'A-ah,' Mihashi stuttered and almost dropped his phone. 'He's been...good. Still...pitching!' he paused and started counting something on his fingers, mouthing words that Tajima was pretty sure were months. 'I haven't seen him for...s-six months,' he said finally, showing Tajima six fingers as if to emphasise.

'Six months?!' Tajima exclaimed. He really was surprised to hear that. His shocked motion made the bed move, and startled Mihashi almost dropped his phone again. 'Don't you miss him, Ren? You should invite him over or something!'

Mihashi paused and hid his face against the duvet. He muttered something that Tajima was sure he understood – but he still wanted Mihashi to say it loud and clear.

'C'mon, Ren,' he insisted, pulling his head up. 

Mihashi whimpered. He sat up on the bed, rubbing his eyes. 'I-I...I miss Shuu-chan a lot but...'

Tajima looked at him encouragingly, patiently waiting for him to continue.

'...But I don't want to bother him. H-he's probably too busy come all the way over here...'

Tajima smirked, shaking his head. 'I don't think he's ever too busy for you. Doesn't he text you all the time?'

Mihashi nodded weakly and looked down at his phone. 'But that's...different. It's just texting. I-I don't think it's the same as...coming over all the way from...Gunma...'

Tajima put on a serious expression as he hummed, tapping his chin. Finally, he snapped hs fingers. 'Hey, Ren, how about this: you should call him right now! I'll be here and if he says no, you can blame it on me. If he says yes,' he added, puffing out his chest, 'that's because I'm an awesome wingman.'

'O-okay,' Mihashi said, clutching his phone. He picked Kanou's number and started the call. Tajima gave him a thumbs up as they waited for him to pick up. One signal, two, three...

'Hello?' Kanou said from the phone, which startled Mihashi into dropping it onto the floor. He went to fetch it and fell off the bed in the process. He crouched on the floor, pressing the phone against his cheek with both hands not to lose it again. He breathed heavily. 

'Shuu-chan!' he exclaimed right into the phone. 'H-hi!'

Kanou sounded concerned when he said: 'Ren, did something happen? You don't usually call.'

'N-no, everything is fine!' Mihashi assure, shaking his head. He let Tajima help him climb back onto the bed. 'I just had a...question. For you.'

Kanou's voice was now somewhat tense yet gentle. 'Okay. What is it, Ren?' he asked patiently.

'U-um, well, the thing is...' Mihashi stammered, breathing heavily again. His hands were shaking. He hesitated to express what he was thinking. Finally, he took a deep breath and started talking really fast: 'I was thinking, and, I haven't seen you in a while, a long while, and, maybe, if you have time, we could meet up somehow, soon, wherever you want, because I miss you...' his eyes widened and he covered his mouth.

Tajima watched him with his mouth wide agape. He was impressed, and he could tell that Kanou was taking a while to process everything that was said to him just then. The phone was completely silent for at least twenty seconds, punctuated only by Mihashi's irregular breathing.

Tajima leaned forward and spoke into the phone. 'Hey, Shuu-chan, don't leave him hanging! He misses you like crazy!'

Mihashi held his breath, staring into Tajima's grinning face. His hands were shaking again.

'...Who was that?' Kanou asked. That made Mihashi snap out of his frozen state.

'T-that was Tajima-kun!' he explained quickly. 'I'm...at his place right now. It was his idea to...call you. B-but! That's because I said I haven't seen you in so long! So...'

Kanou hummed into the phone. Tajima gave Mihashi a thumbs up.

'I think we can arrange something. I was thinking of coming over anyway. I'll figure it out, okay?' Kanou said finally. 'I'll let you know. Maybe I'd be able to come tomorrow, if that's fine?'

'Tomorrrow...!' Mihashi said in awe. His eyes shifted around the room. 'Oh! And you could meet Tajima-kun properly. He's been...taking good care of...me...' he blabbered on.

Tajima's eyebrows rode up his forehead. That wasn't part of what he was planning, but it was probably for the better. He would be able to prove that he is the best wingman, too!

It seemed like Kanou didn't expect it either, since he went silent for a moment. 'Sure, anyone who treats you well is a friend of mine. I've heard about him a lot from you, so I can tell he's a good person-'

'Very good!' Mihashi insisted immediately.

'...and I remember him from our friendly,' Kanou continued. 'So, I'm in. I'll let you know as soon as I can, okay? I need to go for now,' he said quickly. They said their goodbyes and hung up.

Mihashi turned towards Tajima enthusiasticallly.

'H-he's coming! Soon!' he exclaimed happily.

Tajima celebrated with him, but, more importantly, he started formulating a new plan in his head.

***

_Ren missed me! Just as much as I missed him!_

That was mostly what Kanou Shuugo got out of the phonecall that left his heart beating so fast, and so intensely, that having it leap out of his chest seemed like a real concern, left his face stuck in grin he couldn't contain, the same grin that Mihashi caused by calling him 'Shuu-chan' again.

He set the phone down and tried to calm himself down with breathing exercises.

He would have time to celebrate once he knew for sure that he's able to go. That was the priority for now.

Trying to contain his beating heart and his blushing face, he went downstairs to discuss the matter with his family.

***

The next evening, Tajima and Mihashi waited for the train. It was supposed to come in just a few minutes, but Mihashi was already pacing around impatiently.

'There it comes!' Tajima exclaimed, pointing at the incoming train. Mihashi looked in that direction, bouncing on his feet and breathing deeply. Tears formed in his eyes and he was already sniffling and crying before the vehicle stopped.

Kanou, dressed casually – which Tajima had never seen before – left through an exit just a few meters to their left. Mihashi ran up to him with tears in his eyes, making unintelligible noises.

Kanou smiled at him and pulled him into a small hug. He then reached out his hand towards Tajima.

He shook it with no hesitation, grinning at him.

Mihashi was so excited to have inviited two of his favourite people over that he ended up walking faster to them. He failed to notice that, behind him, Tajima was whispering something into Kanou's ear. They both had serious expressions on.

As they got closer to his house, he kept checking on them from the corner of his eye, but he didn't pay any attention to their conversation – he was just overjoyed to see that they were getting along, giggling to himself. They looked back at him with certain tenderness.

Mihashi clumsily openen the door – it took him some time, since his hands were shaking – and invited them both inside, bouncing excitedly on his feet.

They said hi to his mom, who had just made them some snacks and left them in Mihashi's room. She then excused herself and told them she would be downstairs if they needed her.

Tajima ate his part very quickly – not only was he pretty hungry, but the food was also really good. Kanou seemed to agree, but he was taking his time, savouring every bite. He probably remembered Mihashi's mom's cooking from childhood, so it would be quite nostalgic to him.

Since Tajima finished first, he waited for the others, shaking his leg impatiently. They were making small talk, but he didn't pay much attention. He needed them to finish in order to proceed with the plan.

Eventually, they were all done.

'Hey,' Tajima said, standing up, 'I'll bring the dishes down to the kitchen, okay? You guys catch up while I'm gone!' And, before either of them could say anything, he grabbed everything, forming a plate tower in his arms, and sprinted out the door.

***

Kanou was quite impressed by the display. Of course, Tajima had told him what he was planning to do. In a way, he was grateful, even though he was mildly unnerved by how well this stranger could read him.

He smiled to himself. With that, it was no wonder that he got along so well with Mihashi.

'So, Ren,' he prompted, scooting over towards Mihashi, 'is there anything you wanted to talk about?'

Mihashi took a deep breath. 'I missed...Shuu-chan. I didn't have anything to talk...about...I just wanted to see...Shuu-chan.' He took another breath, this time tears formed in his eyes.

'I miss you too,' Kanou confessed, looking away. 'You have friends here but I'm pretty lonely without you,' he added. 'I mean, I'm glad you're finally surrounded by people who appreciate you,' he clarified, not to sound too clingy, 'it just feels weird not to have you next to me.'

Mihashi sniffled and shook his head. 'You're better off...without me...' he insisted. 'I would just...hoard the mound...again...and you would never get to...play...' 

'That's not what I was thinking about...' Kanou muttered. 'I know this is the best solution, I just wish you weren't so far away. Not everything can be said through text. And I think there's a lot of stuff we haven't talked about properly.' He paused and scratched the back of his head. He was rather flustered. 'Ren?' he whispered.

Mihashi turned towards him, blinking quickly. He tilted his head in confusion.

'Do you think,' Kanou asked, 'that after we're done with school, we could move in together? We could play on different teams or something...'

Mihashi opened his mouth. He clenched his hands into fists and shook them happily. 'Y-yes! We should do that!'

'Why aren't you guys kissing yet?' Tajima asked impatiently from the door. 'C'mon I've been gone for so long! Do I need to set you up on a proper date?'

Both of them looked towards him, but he had already run out of the room again.

They both avoided eye contact. Mihashi, with a crooked smile, kept glancing at Kanou and back at his hands.

'U-um,' he hummed quietly. 'Shuu-chan, do you...want...to?'

Kanou looked back at him, smiling softly. 'I've always wanted to.'

'N-no way!' Mihashi sat up straight, looking at him with sparkling eyes. 'M-me too!'

Kanou, with a determined expression, cupped his cheeks. Mihashi's eyes widened, and then he impulsively leaned forward.

Tajima peeked at them from the door.

He certainly was a good wingman, even if the people he set up needed continuous pushes. He would have to remember to arrange a proper date for them at a later time.


End file.
